


Sour Candy Past and Milkshake Future

by cherryandmapletrees



Series: The Milkshake Guild [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Archeryl - Freeform, Breakup, Cheryl finds out Archie isn't awful, Choni Breakup, F/M, He's actually pretty nice, I wasn't intending for a new ship, It's super adorable, There's a thing with the milkshakes, Tumblr anon request turned fic, but here we are
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-26 21:39:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16689373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryandmapletrees/pseuds/cherryandmapletrees
Summary: In the midst of heartbreak, Cheryl finds what she's looking for in someone she never expected.





	Sour Candy Past and Milkshake Future

“I just really feel like we need to take a break. Permanently.”

 

Cheryl’s pulse was in her ears, nearly drowning out what Toni was saying, but she got the gist based on her girlfriend’s (ex-girlfriend?) body language. Her eyes were looking everywhere but at Cheryl’s and her arms were crossed over her chest, leaning away.

 

“I- what? Why?” She, the girl who always had a snappy comeback, who always had the last word, was struck speechless, pain radiating through her chest.

 

Toni sighed and pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders, rolling her eyes.

 

“I don’t know, Cherry. You don’t do it for me anymore. Nothing against you. Well, not totally anyway. I guess it’s partially my fault.” Toni shifted on her feet, now looking directly to her fiery ex-companion “I’ve been cheating on you for a while now.” And there it was. The final nail in the coffin of their relationship, the match that lit the fire in Cheryl’s blood.

 

“You what?! With who?”

 

“Chuck Clayton.”

 

Cheryl wanted desperately to snap back at Toni, to come back with a clever retort about Toni sleeping with hands down the worst man at Riverdale High, but she held her tongue. There was no need to cause a bigger problem, to create a scene. The girl who craved attention wanted nothing more than to turn invisible.

 

Never did she think she’d fall back on her years as the HBIC, the Queen of Riverdale’s halls, but she did that now, drawing it around her like armor. Her spine straightened, and she flipped her hair over her shoulder in a well-practiced move.

 

“Fine. Well, if that’s all then you’ll be on your way.” Shock registered on Toni’s face, a victory for Cheryl.

 

“Not exactly. I need your jacket.”

 

Cheryl kept her face neutral, free of emotion as she slipped the cherry red Southside Serpents jacket off her shoulders and threw it at Toni, not even looking to see if the Serpent caught it before turning on her heels and stalking out, head held high.

 

\--

 

Six hours later, at the beginning of Vixens practice, Cheryl stared at Toni with cold detachment as Betty informed the pink-haired girl that she was no longer a part of the squad. Toni glared at Cheryl, who  responded with a smile and a jerk of her chin, silently admonishing and dismissing the girl.

 

Two could play at this game, and the HBIC never lost.

 

Losing Toni hurt, and Cheryl knew she’d be riddled with the pain for a good while, but she relied on the age old Blossom tradition: Never let them see you cry. Let them see you scream and rage and rip the world down around you. Let them see you burn it to the ground and stand in the ashes, victorious.

 

But never let them see you cry.

 

This was what was reeling through Cheryl’s head as she dismissed the Vixens early, turning towards the bleachers and climbing them nearly to the top. She sat one seat above where she and Toni had sat the year before when Cheryl had been stripped from her role as Carrie. It wasn’t until the silver seat in front of her blurred that she realized she was crying, her breath held automatically so she wouldn’t make a sound; her years of Blossom conditioning never wavering.

 

 _Now_ she broke, crumpled on the hard bench, her head in her arms in a feeble attempt to cover her strangled breathing, just in case someone was to walk in and see her sitting, alone. Alone. The word reverberated in her head, stabbing her anew every time it rose to the surface of her mind. _Alone_.

 

Left alone by her mother, who’d ruined her life.

 

Left alone by her father, no matter how horrible he’d been to her and Jason.

 

Left alone by Jason, the brother she thought she’d always have by her side.

 

Left alone now by Toni, who promised her she’d never be alone again.

 

She wished someone would just see her as she was -- emotionally bruised and mildly abrasive, extend a hand to her, and stay with her through everything, to be the one person who finally stayed.

 

“Cheryl? Is that you?” She jerked to a sitting position, her hands automatically lifting to wipe her eyes of the tears still spilling, before she looked to see who had spoken. “What’s wrong?”

 

Archie Andrews was standing at the foot of the bleachers, one foot resting on the bottom step as if he’d debated coming up but had paused. He must have just come from football practice, breathing heavily and looking like a mess. But he’d stopped to ask if she was ok.

 

“I’m fine.” She cleared her throat, brushing her hands off on her shorts.

 

He moved up the bleachers, taking a moment on each step to make sure she wasn’t going to stop him. He crouched down on the step in front of her, balancing on a knee and a foot, staring up at her.

 

“Are you sure? I saw Toni hanging all over Chuck after practice today. Did something happen with you two?” His voice was filled with nothing but concern, but she couldn’t help but scoff quietly.

 

“If by ‘something’ you mean she cheated on me with Clayton, broke up with me, and kicked me out of the Serpents, then yes. ‘Something’ happened.” Her voice broke slightly on the last word, a tear slipping out before she could catch it with a finger.

 

Archie sighed slightly and shifted so he was sitting in front of her, hands on his thighs as he looked up at her.

 

“You know that wasn’t your fault, right? You didn’t like… push her away or whatever your head is telling you. Mine did the same thing after Veronica left me for Reggie.”

 

“I’d be inclined to believe you if I wasn’t used toit. I’m always the one left standing alone. I never get to decide”

 

“Well now you just have to find someone who won’t leave.” He paused and looked around, standing up and towering over her before reaching down, holding out his hand to her. “Come on. Let’s get you a milkshake at Pop’s and we can talk more. In a slightly more private place. Basketball practice was rescheduled for today, they’ll all be in here in about twenty minutes running around.”

 

She looked between his hand and his face for a moment, waiting to see if he was playing some kind of joke on her before taking his hand, letting him pull her to a standing position.

 

“You won’t be afraid to be seen with me in public?” She made an attempt at teasing, her tone making it fall flat. He smiled at her, his brown eyes warm and welcoming.

 

“You kidding? You’re the head cheerleader. I’m the varsity quarterback. We’re destined to be together, didn’t you know that?” He helped her down the bleachers, supporting her down each step. The boyish grin that normally annoyed her was somehow helping to put her at ease, calm her frayed nerves somewhat.   

 

“I think I missed that memo.”

 

“I’ll make sure it gets to you next time. Now, let’s go get that milkshake. You look like you could use a pick-me-up. My treat.”

 

A ghost of a smile played at her lips as he squeezed her hand gently once they were on the ground before releasing her and walking beside her out the door.

 

\--

 

“You were right. I definitely needed this.” Cheryl sipped at her milkshake, the thick creaminess of the strawberry shake oddly soothing.

 

Archie grinned at her, pleased with himself, as he took a sip of his own milkshake. He even  let her take the strawberry from his shake after she’d eaten her own.

 

“Told you. There’s nothing in the world a milkshake from Pop’s can’t fix.”

 

“World hunger?”

 

“Give anyone one of these, and they’ll be full for like an hour.”

 

“Climate change?” She twirled her straw around in the glass, watching as he pretended to think.

 

“Just dump a bunch of these in the atmosphere, they’ll make everything nice and cold.” She couldn’t help but giggle slightly, his eyes lighting as she laughed.

 

“Wars?”

 

“Easy. Sit everyone down over a milkshake. You can’t hate someone you’re drinking a milkshake with. It’s milkshake law.”

 

“Oh. There’s laws now, huh?” He let out an exaggerated gasp, feigning horror at her question.

 

“You don’t know the milkshake laws? This is unacceptable.” She rolled her eyes and laughed, leaning slightly forward on the seat.

 

“So enlighten me, Archie dear.”

 

He made a show of clearing his throat and leaning close to her across the table, his fingers close to hers. He lowered his voice conspiratorially, causing her to have to bend a little closer.

 

“Now, these laws are sacred to the milkshake guild, so I have to swear you to secrecy.”

 

“Milkshake guild? Is that like the lollipop guild?” His grin grew again, pleased at her catching his reference.

 

“The lollipop guild is a bunch of self-centered assholes who think everything is about them just because everyone knows and likes lollipops. We in the milkshake guild are much nicer.”

 

“I see. Well, I’m sworn to secrecy. What are these elusive laws?”

 

“First law of the milkshake guild, don’t talk about the milkshake guild.” She burst out laughing, leaning back as her body shook.

 

“Why did I somehow know you were going to say that?”

 

“I’m a guy. Fight Club references are required. Anyway. Second law of the milkshake guild is you can’t be angry at someone you’re drinking a milkshake with, as previously stated. Law three, You can’t drink the same flavor twice in a row. Law four, the most important law, is that if you hear the laws from someone in the guild and you’re drinking a milkshake while you’re hearing the laws, you have to go on a date with whoever told you them.”

 

She leaned back with a soft smirk, running her fingers through her hair and then twirling her straw again.

 

“Smooth, Andrews.”

 

“It’s just the laws, Blossom, I don’t make them up.” She laughed, rolling her eyes.

 

“Well if the laws demand it, than I suppose I’ll go along with it. Pick me up tonight at 7.” He smiled at her again, sliding his glass across the table towards her and reaching for hers.

 

“Final law and the initiation into the guild. One sip of the other person’s milkshake every time you drink one with someone from the guild.”

 

She laughed and pulled his glass closer, wrapping her lips around the straw and taking a deep drink. The bright red of her lipstick remained on the straw when she pulled away. He did the same with hers, the slightest bit of her lipstick remaining on his lips. They traded milkshakes back, her pensively stirring hers.

 

“How do you recognize someone else?”

 

“Easy. They’ll take the topping off the milkshake, in this case a strawberry, and eat it first. Then they’ll stir the milkshake two times clockwise, once counterclockwise, and then dip their finger in the whipped cream and lick it off. It’s the sign.”

 

“Easy enough.” She laughed again. She reached her hand across the table, wrapping her fingers around his wrist and squeezing gently. “Thank you, Archie. For distracting me.”

 

“Of course, Cheryl. Any time.”

 

\--

 

He had truly meant any time. Their date that night had been wonderful. Sure, not nearly as rich and wonderful as the dates she’d taken Toni on, but wonderful just the same. He took her to Sweetwater River, complete with two chocolate shakes (per the third law of the milkshake guild), and they’d talked for hours.

 

After that, their dates increased in frequency, going from once a week to nearly every night. Eventually she didn’t feel an ache in her chest when she thought of Toni, just a slight gratitude for their breakup bringing her to Archie.

 

They kept it a secret for well over six months, Cheryl keeping a careful mind on her reputation (“Honestly, Archie dear, is anything more cliche than the head cheerleader dating the varsity quarterback?”), not wanting to be known as the girl who rebounded right after her breakup.

 

\--

 

The homecoming game ended in a close win for Riverdale, Archie running in the winning touchdown with two seconds left on the clock. The students and River Vixens flooded the field to congratulate the team, Archie searching for Cheryl as his teammates high fived him along the way.

 

A burst of pride bloomed in her chest as he reached out a hand to her and she threw caution to the wind, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss, their lips meeting for the first time in such a public display. Cheers sounded all around them, hollers from the Bulldogs and quiet gasps from the Vixens.

 

She cared about none of it, just that she had him, that he had been the one to extend his hand to her and stay by her side. He pulled away gently and grinned at her, a happy laugh bubbling up out of her chest.

 

“Well, Archie Andrews? What say we get a milkshake at Pop’s to celebrate? My treat.” He nodded, pressing another soft kiss to her lips.

 

“I love you, Cheryl Blossom.”

 

“I love you too, Archie Andrews.”

 


End file.
